Common Questions

If you’re just starting to consider the possibility of technical education, you might be asking yourself, just what is a technical school? What is technical education? How is it different from other kinds of colleges? And what kinds of jobs can you get with a technical degree?

To help you decide if a technical college is right for you, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about technical careers and education.

Employers want to hire people who are ready to work and have the skills to get the job done.

Ranken works directly with companies to find out what knowledge and abilities their employees need to have, and then we make sure our programs teach those skills. We’re consistently refining what we teach to stay relevant with industry trends.

Some technical careers may involve working with machinery or equipment, around electricity, with volatile substances, or at high altitudes. We teach our students to consider safety in everything they do to avoid potential hazards. This includes everything from wearing protective gear in our shops to comprehensive training on current safety best practices.

Many technical colleges, including Ranken, offer four-year degrees in addition to associate degrees and certificate programs. What sets our four-year programs apart from traditional liberal arts colleges and universities is that our programs focus on hands-on training. Instead of spending all of your time in a lecture hall, at Ranken you’ll spend an average of 15 hours a week doing hands-on work that prepares you for the job you want.

Technical colleges also offer many programs that only take nine months to two years to complete, so you can get into the workforce faster.

Community colleges usually offer a broader range of programs and academic subjects, offer certifications and two-year degrees, and aim to prepare students to transfer to four-year colleges.

Technical colleges focus on hands-on training to prepare students for rapid entry into technical careers. Ranken offers certificates, two-year degrees and four-year degrees, giving students a range of options to help them reach their career goals.

If you want to earn the highest starting salary, and to have the most potential for advancement, it pays to get a technical school degree. Employers tell us that they prefer job candidates with technical degrees – including hands-on experience and professionalism – and who are ready to work on day one.